Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bread packaging apparatus for packaging bread in a bag and to a bread conveying system for conveying bread along a conveying path. In particular, the present invention relates to a bread packaging apparatus and a bread conveying system that can convey bread in a reliable manner without damage to the bread and crushing of the bread during conveyance of the bread.
Description of the Related Art
Various apparatuses have been conventionally used as means for conveying articles such as bread to be packaged in bags.
For example, an article packaging apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,059 includes: a flighted in-feed conveyor for conveying articles to a standby position; means for supplying an inflated bag to a packaging position spaced apart from the standby position; and a pusher bar assembly which is means that engages an article at the standby position to package the article in the inflated bag.
The pusher bar assembly includes a plurality of pusher bars, and each of the plurality of pusher bars engages an article at the standby position, advances the article through a scoop assembly that holds an inflated bag, and pushes the article into the bag. The pusher bar pushes the article introduced into the bag such that the article abuts against the inner bottom of the bag. When the article is further pushed, the packaged article is removed from the means for supplying the bag and is transferred to an out-feed conveyor. Then the out-feed conveyor conveys the bagged article to a downstream step.
The pusher bar assembly for packaging articles in bags includes shafts moved rotationally by endless chains, and struts to which the pusher bars to be in contact with the articles are secured are attached to the shafts. Therefore, when the endless chains are moved rotationally, the pusher bars are moved rotationally and reciprocatingly between the standby position at which the pusher bars come into contact with articles and the packaging position at which a bag is disposed.
As described above, the article packaging apparatus continuously performs a process including: packaging articles supplied continuously by the in-feed conveyer in bags by moving the pusher bars reciprocatingly toward the articles; and transferring the bagged articles to the out-feed conveyer.
In the article packaging apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,059, the pusher bars are moved rotationally to convey articles. With this apparatus, when relatively soft articles such as bread are conveyed, the pusher bars may cause damage to the articles such as bread when the pusher bars come into contact with the articles, and the articles may be sent flying by an impact received from the pusher bars. To prevent the articles from being damaged and sent flying, the pusher bars may be driven at low speed. However, in this case, it may be difficult to increase the processing speed of the article packaging apparatus.